


Wake Up Call

by justanothernerdgirl



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bromance, F/M, M/M, some romance if you want to read it that way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-14
Updated: 2014-03-14
Packaged: 2018-01-15 17:29:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1313308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanothernerdgirl/pseuds/justanothernerdgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>three times Merlin wakes up a reluctant Arthur, and one time it isn't so bad</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wake Up Call

**Author's Note:**

> This was just something quick I threw together. Please be kind. Maybe I'll add more later.

“Good Morning!” Merlin said on his first day, running in hurriedly and yanking the curtains open with abandon. Arthur grunted from where he lay in his bed, pushing his royal nose further into the pillow. “You’ve got a half hour until your meeting with the visiting Lord.”

 

Merlin pulled back the covers and Arthur’s hand immediately flew up to his scarf, grabbing it and pulling Merlin closer. “First of all, _Mer_ lin, you will address me a “my lord” or “sire”. Second of all, you will never be this late again. Do you understand me?” Arthur hissed. “And where’s my breakfast?”

 

“It’ll be here in a moment sire!” Merlin assured him, pulling back from Arthur’s grip and running out of the room.

 

“There’s no time for that Merlin! I need to get dressed!” Arthur called after him. Merlin was already halfway through the castle and failed to hear Arthur’s remark or the following insults as he attempted to dress himself with sleep still clouding his eyes.

 

When Arthur found himself being scolded by his father a few hours later for his tardiness, Merlin found himself having a less than pleasant afternoon in the stocks.

 

* * *

“Rise and Shine, Sire! Big day today!”

 

“and what day is that, Merlin?” Arthur rolled over, pulling the covers over his head even as Merlin tugged them away.

 

“Guinevere’s birthday, m’lord. Don’t you two have something special planned for lunch later?” Arthur shot up, panicked with his hair sticking up out of all ends.

 

“Merlin! Get some of the other servants to fetch me a bath. You’re to run to the village and fetch me some flowers and…and…jewels! Yes! She’ll like those right? Go! Go!” Arthur pushed Merlin out the door with a change purse of gold in his hands.

“And don’t you think of stealing any of that, _Mer_ lin, I counted it!”

 Arthur was bathed and dressed by servants far more humbled to be in proximity to the prince than Merlin could ever force himself to be. They quickly took care of his frenzied exterior and in no time Arthur found himself ready and pacing, waiting for Merlin’s return so he could properly call on his maiden. When Merlin finally returned, Arthur took anything he had in his hands and ran out, taking with him Merlin’s present for Gwen, a book they were both read as children but Gwen lost in a childhood fire. Arthur tried to cover up the fact that Merlin’s present was mixed in with his, saying he was delivering them both together, but Guinevere knew Arthur had simply forgotten her birthday.

 

While that wasn’t the end of the relationship, it didn’t last long after. Guinevere found Lancelot, who seemed to remember such details as the day her father died or her brother’s middle name, and Arthur seemed to find he knew more about his manservant than he ever did his lover, but that was a secret he would never admit to, one he kept hidden in the sorrow of his heart.

 

* * *

“Up and at ‘em!” Merlin proclaimed. It was some weeks after Uther’s death and Arthur’s new position seemed to paralyze him every morning. Merlin was the only one who knew of this, and thus kept massage oils next to Arthur’s bed for mornings when there was nothing Arthur wanted less than to be ‘up and at em’.

 

When Arthur finally rolled out of bed, Merlin murmured some words of assurance, bathed him, and sent him to the meetings where Merlin would stand in the corners, smiling or frowning at different topics discussed and the proposed solutions. Arthur would never admit how much he relied on Merlin’s expressions for his decisions, and would often ask his opinions in the privacy of Arthur’s chambers.

 

Sometimes Merlin would sit on the edge of the bed, and they would talk as childhood friends, rather than master and servant. Merlin quite liked these nights, as he found out his destiny wasn’t bound to a complete prat and Arthur found Merlin’s heart knew no limits.

 

* * *

“Ready to face the world?” Merlin kneeled at Arthur’s side, the day after he was healed at Lake Avalon and they almost lost him at Camlaan. He brushed Arthur’s hair away from his face, and smiled at Arthur’s eyes opening, showing kindness where not hours before, there had been betrayal and mistrust.

 

“Will you be there, _Mer_ lin?” Arthur asked, sitting up so he was resting on his forearms and looking into his best friend’s eyes.

 

“Of course, Arthur.”

 

“Then how bad could it be?”


End file.
